Fastening distributor



Dec. 23, 1930. w. FROMM 1,785,832

FAYSTENLNG DISTRIBUTOR Filed May 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 23,1930. w. FROMM FASTENING DISTRIBUTOR Filed May 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Dec. 23, 1930 y UNITI-:D STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLY rROMM, orFRANIIFORT-oN-TIIE-MAIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR To UNITED SHOE MACHINERYCORPORATION, OI' PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEYApplication med May 23, 1928, Serial No.

` 'supplied to machines by which they are inserted. An example of amachine'of this Va character is furnishedby one of those em-y Y ployedto attach heels to shoes.'V Y

i In` a much used type of distributor, the nails are* delivered fromtheir source to slotted raceways, down which they descend supported bytheir heads. If the nails thus 'fed are to be employed in a lmachine inwhich heel-attaching nails are to be driven from theinside yof a jack,or Otherwise inserted With their points upmost, it becomes .necessary toreverse them. A convenient defviceV for this purposeinvolves abutnients,against Which ystrike the Shanks of the nails suspended upon theracevvays, the points being thus retarded, While the heads pass onv overthe ends` of the raceivays and fall first' into the jack. In anorganization of this character,'some poorly `formed nails, as ,thosehaving irregular lins orrprojections f vbeneath ythe heads, Oron whichthe under l' sidesr of theheads are'conical, impose particularly tryingconditions. The resistance produced by their contact With `the,raceways, added to the resistance of the reversing abutments, may stopthem before they overV 3l balance, so that they rest, forwardly bin-Olined, With their heads upon the racevvays and their Shanks upon theabutments. This Y clogs the racevvays against the advance of succeedingnails. An object of this inven- 'r ltion lis to insure the'regularadvance ofnails or' other fastenings through the raceWays,

lregardless of the frictional resistance they Offer, and especially toobtain this positive movement at the points of maximum resistance, asWhen they engage the reversing device. For thi-s purpose, I associateWith each raceway a clearing member, acting upon fastenings in theracevvay While said fastenings F are under'the influencekof a reversingdevice. Since, the racevvayis inclined inthe direction of delivery, theclearing member most advantageously acts in the same direction, not onlyfreeing the clogged fastenings, but also urging them forv'vard. Whatevermay be the f vlolc'ation of the clearing member, I prefer to FASTENINGDISTRIBUTOR 280,107, and in Germany October 18, 1927.

move it about two axes, there being means for preventing this movementabout cach axis during movement about the associated axis. One axis isshown as possessing a movement of translation, and suchmovement isgoverned by a difference in the resistance to turning about the axes. Bysuch an arrangement, there may bev imparted to a member its clearingmovement in a direction substantially parallel to the lracevvay inengagement With aI fastening, and then a return travel elevated abovethe raceway, entirely clear of the fastenings, and thus free from interference With their delivery. Lack of exact parallelism to the raceway inthe clearing movement and irregularities in the engagement With thefastenings may bey compensated for by al yield of the member. Sinceordinarily a plurality of raceways are to be maintained againstclogging, va corresponding number of clearing members are em ployed.These are herein illustrated as mounted'together upon a -spindle fast inspaced arms secured to ashaft which ro tates in carrier-arms fixed to aprimary shaft. These shafts determine the axes previously mentioned. Thegoverning resistance to movement is preferably in the form of a frictiondevice or brake acting upon the i primary shaft. The driving connectionfor the mechanism may be applied to one of the spindle-carrying arms.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a`nail-distributor, with Which isassociated a particular embodiment of this invention, my improvedclearing mechanism being shown in full lines, and the previously usedelements of the distributor being in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a'broken perspective viewof the clearing mechanism; f

Fig. 3, a View showing the distributor partly in vertical section andpartly in side elevation; while 1 Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive,'are detailsillustrating successive positions of the clearing mechanism. l y

I have chosen to disclose my invention as combined with a distributor inwhich'nails are fed from a mass in a rotatable drum Y toa seriesofdownwardly inclined raceways,

each furnished by a pairkof parallel bars 12, 12. Down these racewaysthe nails travel under the influence of gravity, supported by theirheadsresting on thetops of the bars and with theirjshanlrshangingvertically, and are picked olf one by one in each race- ,1 way,in sets,`by oscillatory delivery-disks 14 mounted near the lowerextremitiesof the raceways. V Q n Y v a Constantly driven shaft 18jouinaledtransversely ofthe forward end of the casing of the drum 10,co-operate with the racewaysfto free these of'crossed'nails. A Assumingthat the nails are to be driven points up, they are reversed beforeleaving the raceways by con-` tact of their shanks with abutments v2Olmounted between thebars` 12. rlheseabutments, restraining the'lowerportionsr of the nails in their advance, cause theheads to assumevaleading position, so that on deliv-` ery at' the tor-eleinents are wellknown. As the abutmentshold baclr nails, there is added to the frictionof the heads upon the raceways a resistance to deliveringmovement-'which produces a tendency for the-nails to clog. atthe'reversing points vand stopthe feed. Keeping the raceways clearinvolvesa wast-ei of time on the `partofthe operator, and if theclogging escapes attention, heels may be attached without the fullnumber of nails. Journaled across the raceways, abovev the abutments 20,in brackets 22, 22 fixed lto the' distributonfranie, is a primary shaft.24 of my clearing mechanism.l Secured to the shaft outside the bracketsare carrier-arms 26, 26 downwardly and forwardly inclined,

and rotatable in thel outer extremities of Vthese'arms is a secondaryshaft28.` .To thev shaft 28, just vwithin the arms 26, 26, are` Yfixedtwo arms 30 and 32, and in the rear extremities of theseis fastened aspindle 34.

:Mounted upon theA `spindle over each raceway is a holderi36, in therear face Vof whichl are vways to receive a clearing member k38 arrangedto yield vertically .against gravity.

l A@ projection 40 `from the upper end of each 50,1

clearing member, byy its contact with the top ofthe holder, limits thedownward move-1 ment of the member. The lower extremity of the clearingmember is beveled at the rear, producing a surface 42, which, in theclearing movement, approaches parallelism with the nail-supportingvsurfaces of the raceways. This surface forms with'the upper side :ofthe member a point whichis effective forengagement with the heads of thenails.' Oscillation of the arms 30 and 32 about the axes of both theVshafts l24 andv 28, and ar consequent movement of the clearing meni-vbers, is effected by driving connectionsto the arm 32.y This'arm hasfrom its outer side f approjection .44, to which is articulated anRake-wheels 16, supported upon en'dsof the raceways these heads aredown. Vfis-so far outlined, the distribu.

rounds an eccentric 50 secured to the shaft 18. The extent'to which thearm 82In'ay move about the axis of the shaft 28 is limited bycontact-portions upon the arm, these contact-portions being shown asprovide by opposite screwsl, 51 threadedthrough eccentric-rod 46, thestrap 48 of which surthe arm at-the ends of a'transverse slot Y therein.These'4 screws, upon ymovemeirtrof y thea-rm,Contact with the shaft 24.,and by their adjustment may be'caused to vary the extent ofoscillationin either direction. ATo cause successive rotation of the shafts 24 and28, and thus the movementvof the clean ing members in predeterminedpaths, the rotation of the shaft 24 is retarded by a friction-brake,shown as consisting ofcollars Figs. 4 to 7, 1nclusive,a nail'N appearsin Figs. 4 and 5 caught upon its racewayrandv 4 zo-operating abutment.In Fig; 4, the cleat 38 of this raceway is at kits high- 1 ing memberest and ymostrearward position.k This'relation obtains when theeccentric 5() thrusts the arm v32 forward to themaximum extent'.

With the continued'rotation vof the eccentric j in the direction of thearro'win Fig. 8, the arm 32 is drawn from the Aposition shown in 4, inwhichy the righthand screw 51 is against .the shaft 24, .to thatv ofFig. 5, in which the left-hand screw contacts with the shaft.rv Thismovement, with the companion.-

arm 30, occurs about `the axisof the shaft 28,f-

the brake device 52,554 at this time holding' the shaft v24 againstvturning. Each holder v ics 36, carried Vupon the `spindle 34, visVthereby j lowered fromthe point a to thepoint Ib', the path beingindicated by dashes. The point, of the yclearing member 38 is broughtinto contact with the ltops of the bars 12 forminga race'way, saidmember' yielding` in its ways to compensate for excess of downwardmove-Y ment of the holder. checked in its movement by the contact of theleft-hand screw 51 .with ythe shaftr24, con tinued rotation offthe cam,exerting a driving'force upon `the arm 32 in the same direc-l tion asjust described, causes this and the arm 30 to swing about the axis ofthe shaft 24, the axisof the shaft 28having a. movement of translation.Each holder 86 is therebyy caused to follow apath approachingparallellism with the surfacenof the raceway, this being fromy b to c.rlhe point `of the clearing' member 38 slides along the upper edges ofthe rac'eway-bars.k During this portion? of its movement, the clearingmember engages thev head of the retained knail N and sweeps this YVforward over the raceway, positively urging kThe arm 32 beingy incassait down for delivery. t At the completion of this clearing action, theelements are related as appears in Fig. 6. Nowvthe eccentric has passedthe center and'begins to move the arm 3 32 in the opposite direction.The left-hand screw of the arm 32 leaves the shaft 24, which is againtemporarily held against rotation by the friction device `52, 54, andthe arm 32 lturns about the aXis of the shaft 28 until the right-handscrew reaches the shaft 24. This quickly raises the holder from c, atwhich it @finished its clearing stroke, tok d, where the lpoint of themember 38 is elevated above the upper edges of the raceway-barssimilarly to its initial position, so it cannot interfere with` the feedof the nails. This relation is as illustrated in Fig. 7. While theeccentric is completing its 360 degrees of rotation, the stopping oftheoscillation of the arm 32 about the axis of the shaft 28 by Contact withthe right-hand screw 5l, and its `movement yabout theaXis ofthe shaft24, restores the holder and clearing member to the initial position.During this return-travel, the point ofthe member is at all times freefrom contact with the heads of the nails in the raceway, so there is notendency to move them oppositely tothe direction of delivery. The

` extent of movement of the clearing members toward and from theracewaysmay be varied by adjustment of the screws 51, 5l.

Having described my invention, whatl claim as new and desire to secureby Letters VPatent of the United States is:

l. In a fastening-distributor, a raceway for fastenings, afastening-reversing device cooperating therewith, and a clearing memberactingvupon the fastenings while they are under the influence lof thereversing device.

2. In a fastelling-distributor, an inclined raceway, a`fastening-reversing device co-operating therewith, and a clearingmember acting upon the fastenings in the direction of downwardinclination of the raceway and while they are under the influence of thereversing device.

3. In a `nail-distributor, a raceway con-y structed and arranged toconvey nails supported by their heads, a reversing abutment located forcontact with the Shanks of the thus-supported nails, and an oscillatorymember mounted above the abutment and movable into contact with theheads of the nails upon the 'raceway n 4. In a nail-distributor, araceway, a clearing member co-operating therewith and alternatelymovable about two axes, one of said axes having a movement oftranslation, and

meansarranged to variably limit the travel of the member.

5. In a nail-distributor, a raceway, a clear ing member co-operatingtherewithand alternately movable about two axes, and means arranged toproduce a' difference in Vthe resistance to movement about the two axes.

y the carrier,

6. Y In a nail-clistributona raceway, a clearing member co+operatingtherewith and altern ately movable about two axes, one of said axeshaving a movement of translation and the other being fixed, and meansarranged to increase the-resistance to rotation about the fixed axis. Y

7. In a nail-distributor, a.raceway,-a shaft, a carrier fixed to theshaft, an arm rotatable upon the carrier and limited in its movement bythe shaft,and a clearing member mounted upon the arm for co-operationwith the raceway.

8. In a nail-distributor, a raceway', a shaft journaled in proximity tothe raceway, a carf rier fixed to the shaft, an arm rotatable upon thecarrier, actuating connections to the arm, and a' clearing membermounted upon the arm for co-operation with the raceway.

` 9. In a nail-distributor, a raceway, a shaft journaled in proximity tothe raceway, a carrier fixed to the shaft, an arm rotatable upon thecarrier, and a clearing member movable upon the armfor contact with theraceway.

l0. In a nail-distributor, Va raceway, a shaft, a carrier fined to theshaft, an armrotatable upon the carrier, said arm being limited in itsmovement by Contact with the shaft, and clearing member movable upon thearm for Contact with the raceway.

ll. In a nail-distributor, a raceway, a shaft journaled in proximity tothe raceway, a carrier fixed to the shaft,.an arm rotatable upon a:member adjustable upon the arm and contacting with the shaft, land aclearing member mounted upon the arm for co-operation with theVraceway.`

l2. In a iiailQdistribiitor, a raceway, a rotatable shaft, a carrierfixed to the shaft, a friction device arranged to resist the rotation ofthe shaft, an arm rotatable upon the carrier, and a clearing membermounted upon the arm for co-operation with the raceway.

13. In a nail-distributor, a plurality of raceways, a primary shaftjournaled above the raceways, carriers spaced from each other upon theprimary shaft, a secondary shaft journaled in the carriers, arms spacedfrom each other upon the secondary shaft, a spindle fast in the arms,and clearing members mounted upon the spindle and co-operating with theraceways.

14. In a nail-distributor, a plurality of raceways, a primary shaftjournaled above the raceways, carriers spaced from each other upon theprimary shaft, a secondary shaft journaled in the carriers, arms spacedfrom each other upon the secondary shaft, a driving connection arrangedto oscillate one of the arms, a spindle fast in the arms, and clearingmembers mounted upon the spindle and co-operating with the raceways.

l5. In a nail-distributor, a plurality of raceways, a primary shaftjournaled above the raceways, carriers spaced from each other Y4 ,emassa upon the primary shaft, a secondary shaft journaled in thecarriers, arms spaced from Y each other upon the secondary shat, op- Ypositelyextending screws carried by the arms fsgand Varranged forContact ywith the primary shaft, a spindle fast in the arms, andclearing members mounted upon the spindle and cooperating with theraoeways.A n

16. yIn a nail-distributor, a plurality of racewayrs, a primary shaftjournaled above the raceways, a brake acting upon the shaft,

carriers spaced kfrom each other upon the primary shaft, a secondaryshaft journaled in the carriers, arms spaced from each other 15jupon thesecondary shaft, a spindle fast in theV arms, and 4clearingmembersfmounted upon thespindleand (3o-operating with the raceways. f

17. In a nail-distributor, a raceway,land a.

n zofclearing member co-operating therewithfand i alternately movableabout two axes, there being means for preventing movement of the memberabout each axis during its movement about the associated axis. v Y

25: 18. In a inail-distributor, a raceway, a

yieldable clearing member contacting therewith, and a support forthemember alternatelyfmovablei about two axes, there being means forpreventing movement ofthe mem- 30 ber about each axis during itsmovement about the associated axis.

19. In a nail-distributor, a raceway and av clearing member(5o-operating therewith and alternately movable about two axes, oneofasaid axeshaving a movement of translation and there being meansforipreventing movement of the member about each axis during'L itsmovement about ythe associated axis, n In testimony whereof I havesigned my 40 :name to this specification;

WILLYv FROMM.

